Spark has brought together the original brand in mobile advertising — Admobile, with the world’s preeminent specialty truck body manufacturer — Hackney, to introduce the new Admobile series of MUV and DAV truck bodies.
Since 1946, Hackney, a division of VT Specialized Vehicles Corporation, has been the world’s leading manufacturer of custom truck bodies for route delivery, emergency support, vending, plumbing and service contractors. Spark now offers Read More...

Spark Equipment is now an EXIT Realty Approved Supplier. Over the years, Spark’s unique marketing utility vehicles have become valuable assets for REALTORS, who use the trucks to promote their real estate businesses while doing double duty as working moving vans. EXIT franchisees and agents can take advantage of special offers and predesigned ad posters that are ready to install and have been pre-approved by EXIT’s corporate offices. In addition to promoting the local EXIT broker’s office, brokers can profit by selling several of the scrolling ad spots to their top producing agents and their local business allies such as insurance agents, pest control companies, and banks.

Many Spark owners use Spark’s in-house printing services for their scrolling poster printing needs. The company has seen thousands of individual ads come through the system since 2002. As one might imagine, some ads have been really great, while many that would qualify for the advertising hall of shame.

Jump to the PDF document "Design Tips for Mobile Advertising Success" if you don't care to read all of today's post. Read More...

In 1993, a french company, called Mobil Affiche, developed one of the first mobile scrolling advertising systems, and began deploying the early dedicated advertising vehicles in Europe. Their trucks featured a unique 7-poster system with 5’ x 8’ displays on three sides. Two years later, the trivision advertising truck was invented by Delroy Cowan. Cowan’s 1995 invention combined an Isuzu NPR truck with a custom truck bed and three trivision signs that he purchased from a European manufacturer. His two trucks were the first multi-image dedicated advertising vehicles in the USA. Years later, similar, but refined DAV concepts appeared from companies calling themselves Brands In Motion, Billboards in Action, and Admobile.

The DAV concepts from each of these mobile ad pioneers were different, but they all championed what has become the shared-use model of mobile advertising. Read More...

The first time you saw a multi-image DAV on the road, you may have been fascinated with the light-up, changing ads. The impression is so effective, that many motorists can recall the names of specific advertisers long after the DAV campaign ends. But for some, seeing a DAV represents the spark of a new business venture. You’re probably reading this blog because you’ve experienced that spark.

Building a Rolodex full of satisfied advertising clients is challenging under the best of conditions. But this post is not about building a thick portfolio of customers quickly. It’s about launching a profitable mobile advertising business with just one great client relationship. World domination comes later. Read More...

It’s easy to get excited about the value proposition that comes with owning a mobile advertising vehicle. Playing with a calculator can generate some eye-popping numbers. Read More...

If you’ve ever wanted to get a look at a Spark truck up close, here’s your chance. Join Spark factory staff and local Spark representatives from your city as we demonstrate the latest in advertising vehicles. You’ll be able to see up close what makes Spark trucks an important and affordable part of any business, big or small. Watch the smooth scrolling ads, take a look at the cavernous cargo capacity, and see the attention to detail that makes Spark truck bodies stand out from the crowd. If a picture is worth a thousand words, seeing a new Spark body in person is priceless.

Follow the link for the calendar of dates and cities. Read More...

One of the most visible benefits of Spark products is the ability to quickly and inexpensively change your company’s advertising message. For $135 per side, Spark owners can install new ads and graphics that completely transform the look of their truck. That’s a total investment of about $400 for new graphics on three sides. Compare that with the cost of wrapping a vehicle with your company’s logo and brand.

Compare a wrapped truck to a tattoo. It may have seemed like a good idea when you had it applied, but one learns that you’d better really like the graphics, because there’s significant pain and expense involved if you ever want to remove either one. Read More...

We like to answer the question, “How is the construction of Spark truck bodies different from other mobile advertising bodies?” It’s all about the details. Some of the details are hard to see in a picture online or in a brochure, but up close its evident that Spark goes to great lengths to make the bodies look more like something that comes from Toyota or Ford, and less like some of the advertising contraptions that one might find sold on Ebay.

Ordinary box truck bodies are covered with exposed bolts and rivets, and their body panels are joined with simple white caulk. No amount of shiny trim or diamond-plated panels can cover up that hand-fabricated look. Consider the exterior of a Spark Expo. Its body panels have gaps that are as tight as the gaps between Read More...

Mark Twain said “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Recent Spark prospects report some information that ought to be filed in the “damned lies” folder.

Apparently, if one were to base their knowledge of Spark products on information provided by other companies specializing in DAV sales, they might believe that Spark bodies are built from plastic, manufactured in China, and Imported through the Middle East. Wow. We had no idea. They have no clue. Read More...

As of this writing, gas is approaching $5 per gallon in some locations. AAA reports that the rising price of fuel has finally started changing driving behavior, as American consumers are driving less for the first time in decades. But if your business depends on a single vehicle or a fleet of vehicles, the recent run up in the price of gas can be crushing.

The Wall Street Journal reported (paid subscription required) on July 14, 2008 that certain full size pickup trucks Read More...

David Hoheisel, Spark Factory Rep from Columbus, Ohio, reminded us of a feature that almost every Expo owner gets for free.

90% of pickup trucks have a light over the back window that is used to illuminate the truck's pickup bed at night. Dave discovered the switch for that light on the dash of his Toyota Tundra / Expo 7 demo truck. When he turned it on, the light lit up the entire front of the Expo body. The Expo box is usually about 10 - 12 inches taller than the pickup cab, and with the flick of a switch, Hoheisel discovered that he could draw extra attention to the truck. He has taken advantage of that space by wrapping it with an ad for his business.

It's a great free feature that will give all Expo owners even more attention than they bargained for! Read More...

(Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jun. 28--Virginia Beach's strict regulation of street advertising has always seemed kind of odd, over the top -- and not always applied fairly.

For more than two decades, the city has prohibited companies from constructing new billboards. The policy was designed to remove unsightly come-ons from thoroughfares, as council members and city officials embarked on a beautification campaign.

This so-called blight-busting has trimmed the number of billboards from 63 in 1987 to 28 today. Longtime residents believe major thoroughfares are more aesthetically pleasing. Read More...

For several years, AHR Communications has been operating a fleet of trivision mobile advertising trucks in and around Virginia Beach. Since Elaine Cayton opened the business, she has been careful to comply with all local ordinances. None of the surrounding cities have given her business any trouble, but the City of Virginia Beach has repeatedly attempted to force her out of business. Even though there was no ordinance prohibiting Cayton’s business, the local city council repeated attempted to shut her down.

Yesterday, she achieved a victory when the Virginia Beach City Council voted 6-5 to allow mobile advertising trucks in their city limites. Read more about it here. Read More...

Today's email contained the usual barrage of guaranteed hot stock tips, home equity loan offers, and requests to chat with lonely Russian women. We almost missed a note from the Marketing Strategy Team of Grapevine, Texas. MST offers consulting services for business owners and offers advice on how to fine tune any business' advertising message to make it more effective. Read More...

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Many people experience the impact of mobile advertising for the first time at sporting events, conventions, or trade shows. Unlike some of the other dedicated advertising vehicle business models, using DAVs for short term events is a proven model with hundreds of available case studies that prove its effectiveness and value to clients.

While advertising agencies can be reluctant to include mobile advertising in their long term media plans for their best clients, they they are often comfortable recommending mobile media for a variety of short term event-base scenarios. If you’re considering purchasing one or more DAVs or MUVs (dual purpose marketing/utility vehicles) you should be prepared when prospective clients ask for information about using the trucks for event marketing. Read More...

Today, we turn our attention away from multi-purpose MUVs to focus on dedicated advertising vehicles (DAVs). This is the first in a series of posts about the many different business models one can use in a mobile advertising business. This series focuses exclusively on multi-image dedicated advertising vehicles, excluding the older 2 sided, flat "mobile billboard" trucks. The type of multi-image technology used — scrolling, trivision, video, trained monkeys holding up a series of posters —doesn’t matter. What does matter is that the DAV has the capability to show a series of different advertisements on two or more sides of the vehicle. Read More...

Continuing today's theme of Regulation, here's a story about a Nevada brothel that has started using mobile advertising. Billboards advertising brothels are now legal in Clark County. This might not cause much trouble in Las Vegas, but it might just be another example of what happens in Vegas, should stay in Vegas. A video link to the KVBC-News3 TV story is here. In the video clip, a gentleman interviewed by KVBC refers to the mobile billboard for the Chicken Ranch as "classy". (We report, you decide.)

Mobile advertising is so highly visible and effective that MUV and DAV truck owners really need to hold themselves to a higher standard regarding the types of ads that they accept and display on the light up rotating or scrolling displays. Stay away from clients like this at all costs.

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Not more than ten hours after the last post about regulation, this article appeared in the Virginia Beach Pilot about their city's sign ordinance. There is a long running dispute between Elaine Cayton, owner of Admobile of Hampton Roads and about half of the Virginia Beach city council members. Cayton's business is one of the most responsible, well run, and civic minded mobile advertising companies that we are aware of. The people of Virginia Beach feel the same way, too, as the results of the Pilot's online poll tilt in favor of Admobile by about 2 to 1.

Take a moment to vote in the Virginia Beach Pilot's online poll, and post a comment to let them know your thoughts.

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Customers often ask about regulations that govern the use of mobile advertising vehicles.

Let's back up for a minute. Regulation is not a probelm for 95% of Spark's customers. It is a concern though, but it comes down to two different concepts. Either you're using a mobile advertising vehicle to promote your own business or you're using the vehicle to operate a mobile advertising company.

The first case is easy. If you purchase a mobile advertising truck and use it in the ordinary operation of your business, we are not aware of a single local ordinance that will prevent you from using the vehicle to promote your own business. Read More...